The Desideratum of a Boy and a Demon
by Anatomic
Summary: Though with misunderstandings and the cycle of hatred, Kyuubi would be damned before he lets Naruto fall, all while before the cold consumes them.


**The Desideratum of a Boy and a Demon**

**Summary:** Though with misunderstandings and the cycle of hatred, Kyuubi would be damned before he lets Naruto fall, all while the cold consumes them.

**Genre:** Gen, Adventure, Family / Friendship, Emotions – where Kyuubi is utmost dense.

**An:** Kyuubi's POV, No warnings other than the usual Konoha citizens being intolerant and delusional, oh, and mild language.

Pilot Chapter, Two shot(?), may be multi chaptered, may stay a one-shot. Who knows.

* * *

A Demon.

Nine, to be exact. However his master never called him, or them, that. They were his, and he was theirs. Their master completed them, and vice versa.

He was the largest part of the nine, however they were small. Looking at the leader in yearning, Kyuubi, Kurama to be exact, let out a pitiful whine. The rest of the pack were no better off. Their master, creator was leaving them. Sage of the six paths, creator of all, found love within the monster who he, and they, calls themselves.

The parting wasn't teary, with all the emotions they never knew they had, held back into their blackened voids, the mountain that Master calls hearts.

As they were pulled into the wilderness of a world they never knew, each of the nine split up by the orders of the Sage.

Over time, they adjusted. They adjusted, their memories never forgotten, however hearts burned aflame, and feelings and emotions turned to ashes. Scattered by the wind. Slowly and slowly, they faded, because fading with the cold on the outside is greatly more merciful than the cold on the inside, even though their bodies remained.

They were alone, scattered and hollow.

He feels the cold return to him once more, blossoming inside his chest.

* * *

This time it was cold rage. Over the years, he lost himself; but definitely not his pride, nor power. So who was a human, the 'Yondaime' to not only stand a chance against him – Kurama, the strongest of the nine, but to also bind him? He, Kurama, had already accepted to be bent once, by one who calls by Madara Uchiha. But to be defeated twice, by worthless, pitiful fools who goes by the name of his Master's creations?

_Lies._

He growled, deep in his throat, and struggled against the restraints with renewed vigour.

_Lies._

His tails smashed and destroyed everything they touched; the village almost in shambles. He took great pleasure in seeing the Yondaime's worry and strife.

_LIES!_

They do not deserve to be associated, not then, not now, not in light years, to the Sage of the Six paths.

And suddenly, Yondaime didn't seem so sure of the sealing; however, with the slight widening of the Shinigami's eyes – in recognition of the Kyuubi's power, however, the Death God's power rose within the chains. In the end, the Shinigami prevailed, and Kurama finds himself once again trapped in a cold limbo; a hideous, pitiful prison.

* * *

He likes to watch the villagers handle his blasted vessel. Enjoyment swelled within him as he sees them softly break the little blond child, which such uncanny resemblance to the Yondaime. He wonders if it has become a hobby, seeing the little boy being wrecked little by little, cut down by harsh words, treatment and prejudice.

It serves him right, Kurama thinks.

And yet, after taking in so much, he still sees the kid rebound, with persistence; the child continuing to be himself. Happy, cheerful and carefree; as if the twisted treatment from Konoha in whole cannot stop him, nor his will.

Kurama sneers, except with no real emotion. He grows restless within this shell, and the pain of his host will not serve to entertain him forever. He feels restless and frustrated, however he knows that he will be free; one way or the other.

Sooner or later, he thinks to himself, before drifting off once again into hibernated slumber.

* * *

It is an accident. The day Naruto meets Kurama, or rather, feels him.

Naruto hurts, throughout his body. Not that that was unusual, as it happens regularly, Kurama notes. However, instead of finding pleasure in his host's pain, it faded into a dull throb into his chest.

After discovering his presence, Naruto begins to talk to himself, and it takes weeks for Kurama to realise that Naruto is talking to him, the Kyuubi. The brat is only five, yet he looks upon a demon such as Kurama without so much as a bat of an eyelash.

It must have been one of the worse cases of injury, or 'accidents', Kyuubi pondered to himself, as he stares at the wide-eyed, blue-iris, blond child in front of his prison. The kid's body is bruised, with mild, scratches. Kyuubi wondered why he isn't healed yet, and then remembers his retraction of his chakra around the kid's body. He had wanted the brat to suffer, hadn't he? And yet, why is he suddenly so unsure, as a seed of guilt is planted within his being.

At first, they just stare at each other. Seconds passes, then onto minutes, before the child runs straight up to his prison, a hair's breadth away from his claws, the poles and the seal.

He could have lifted a paw, or both, and injure the boy; a payback for what the brat's father has reduced him to, and perhaps even kill the kid. But he doesn't, and they continue to stare, however the brat's breathing faster and honestly, Kurama doesn't like the wild, hopeful smile pasted onto the blonde's face.

It makes him feel uneasy inside, though he doesn't know why. It was just a feeling of many that he couldn't discern.

The kid talks to him, but he doesn't reply, just staring; willing the kid to be gone, but the kid doesn't get the message, and just stays. Talking.

First Naruto introduces himself, his name and what he likes. And oh god, the kid looked so pathetic, so sad, so desperate to finally have a friend; with the bruises around his face, arms, and legs – the hole of his body and a black eye. Yet the kid, Naruto, is smiling.

Brat's missing a tooth, whether due to natural loss, or because of the villagers, Kurama did not know. And Kyuubi knows that he would be fucking lying to himself if he says the scene in front of him isn't fucking heartbreaking at all.

He feels the uncharacteristic guilt bloom within himself, and his throat goes dry. The emotions swirling inside him, like an uncontrollable maelstrom, almost feeling alien within him. And he feels scared, so scared - for all the wrong reasons.

His voice doesn't seem to be functioning. For the moment, he feels as if he was ineligible for talking, so he settles for staying silent, again. Naruto is silent as well; however he is still there, clumsy fingers clutching a large pole, as he stares up intently at the Nine-Tailed Demon.

He half cringes, in remembrance of_ his_ own past, but at least he wasn't alone; he had his master, and the others.

But now he was, he notes. And so is Naruto. Immediately dispelling his thoughts and where they traitorously led him, Kyuubi growls to himself.

Lending his Chakra to Naruto, Kyuubi sees the boy gasp in surprise as the crimson energy flowed around the brat, healing his wounds.

Kyuubi dispels the brat from his prison before the awkward gratitude rears its head, however later that night, Kurama hears Naruto thanking him, laughing about being friends, and him being the first one.

Dear god, Kyuubi thinks to himself, what have I done?

* * *

The first mistake he makes, as generic as it sounds, was to let Naruto close to him, as in his mind, and heart of hearts, Kurama knows that he cannot handle such...or any positive emotions, for that matter, for humans.

Sometimes he talks to Naruto, sometimes he just remains silent. As they were unknowingly warm within their company, Kyuubi still reminds himself daily; to not to get close to the child.

He doesn't grow close enough to Naruto for comfort, regardless with the relentless attempts. Still, he doesn't correct Naruto when he calls them friends.

The emotions slowly weaselling inside him by the blonde's effort – the familiarity and peculiarity grow scaringly close, and as the gap between them slowly disappear, Kurama knows, he just knows, that somehow, his impulsiveness would ruin everything.

And for once, he was praying for the mercy of fate, praying for Naruto, rather than the sake of himself.

* * *

His foreshadowing weren't for naught, as he feels the foundations of the fickle friendship he had built with Naruto shatter within mere moments of truth. Although they were both at fault, it was mainly his.

Kurama feels his heart hurt, as if a sharp spike of a thousand mountain-length spears has pierced through his chest. He barks a canine, humourless laugh, full of loathing. How fate hates our two souls, Kurama wonders, when realization only comes after the mortal blow.

_Loneliness, the cold - _what Naruto has cured of them both.

The talking, everything. Was it for him? The answer is obvious, Kurama murmurs to himself.

His eyes feels hot and stuffy.

He looks at the crumpled form once more.

And everything washes to him as if the mist was washed away with clear, salted water. Everything hurt.

And with a sudden realization, he remembered that...

The enjoyment - It wasn't watching Naruto break because of the villagers, it was Naruto's resilience. He always marvelled at such a thing, and in a way, he respected the child, as he would respect his Master. It seems, Kurama thinks, that his denial has blinded him once and possibly forever-more.

Naruto, he isn't broken, he never was. He couldn't be broken because he was incomplete in the first place, and as Kurama entered the fray that was the brat's life, together ... they were complete.

Sleep, Kurama, he tells himself. Sleep, or you might actually cry this time.

His body chose the latter.

_*Flash back*_

_If he had not lashed out, in the fear of Naruto's rejection - and possible hatred, at the discovery of Kurama being a demon, the Nine-Tailed Fox. For what were everything was, and is worth, Kurama only did realize straight after, that there was no way Naruto would such a thing. However, he had lashed out. In both words; harsh tones, and claws._

_It was only after, when he sees the betrayal, melancholy and tears in Naruto's eyes did Kurama feel his owns widen, and before his pride had gotten out of its way - so that he could apologize, the child had already left. The boy was only six._

_*End*_

Through the ages, the thousands of years, He, Kurama, has never hated himself as much as he did now.

* * *

Naruto stops talking to him, and does not allow Kurama to contact him either. He feels the guilt return, and wallows in self loathing. They return to their daily routines, with Kyuubi's restless sleep within the prisons, and Naruto with his academy to attend. However, the differences were noticeable; with Naruto's eyes an empty, dull blue and Kurama's lack of aura of superiority.

Although they attempt to go their separate ways, things are never the same.

Kurama clenches his eyes and deadly jaws, as he feels the cold consume him again.

The brat doesn't even let him heal him anymore. No matter in the heightened life and death situations, the brat doesn't let him. And to be honest, his actions just adds the salt to the wounds, although Kyuubi can't say he does not deserve it.

It hurts, the fact that Naruto, pure, forgiving, tragic Naruto, would not allow him, the lowest of the low - a Demon, to even ease the boy of his wounds.

He breaks down, head bowed, tails up, shoulders shaking. He calls for Naruto in desperation, and is surprised when he sees the blonde appear,stone faced, in front of his cage.

Wasting no time, Kurama apologizes, with words - for what he can form, as for the emotions, he tries to convey through facials, sounds and gestures, and although his body is of an fox, he only hopes for Naruto to understand. He looks up to see Naruto smiling in melancholy, and has a horrible thought of rejection, once again.

Naruto looks up to him, eyes half lidded, yet brimming with barely restrained emotions. Kurama sees the boy smile, and hears the boy say that he should get up, as it isn't becoming of the strongest of the nine, to be in such a position.

And fuck, he feels so relieved, he rushes forward, nose pressing as far through the seal as he can, Demon Superiority complexes fucking off. He laughs, a throaty chuckle, as he feels the kid's arms attempt to wrap around his too-large frame.

They stay in the same position, warming up to each other. Kyuubi feels as his heart melts, and as the coldness finally fades away. Gathering his Chakra around Naruto softly, he heals the scars of the wounds-Naruto-Hadn't-let-him-heal, and Naruto lets him.

* * *

All scars healed, friendship and familiarity regained.

All is right in the world.

And they are...

They are...

_Complete._


End file.
